Shorebirds - Migratory Superheros! A Student Activity Guide - English

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SHOREBIRDS–MIGRATORY SUPER HEROES!
A Student Activity Guide
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
2
Dear Educator,
Welcome to the fascinating world of shorebirds! The diversity of physical and behavioral adaptations
of shorebirds, plus the shear magnitude of their global migration, make them a captivating topic for
students. This activity guide can be used by students alone or along with the Shorebird Sister Schools
curriculum. The activities vary in difficulty and are designed to meet various learning levels from 2nd
through 6th grades. Please send your comments and questions to the Shorebird Sister Schools Program
coordinator at sssp@fws.gov or by calling 304/876 7783.
National Wildlife Refuges
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages national
wildlife refuges, the world’s largest and most diverse
collection of lands set aside specifically for wildlife.
Many refuges provide important habitat for migrat-ing
and nesting shorebirds.
March 14, 2003 marked the 100th anniversary
of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Pelican
Island, Florida, was the first national wildlife refuge
established by President Theodore Roosevelt in
1903. Since then, more than 500 refuges have been
designated. They include nearly 100 million acres
across the United States and its territories. Looking
at this map, is there a refuge in your state? To learn
more go to http://refuges.fws.gov.
Hawaii Alaska
Division of Migratory Bird Management
Working with partners, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service is responsible for providing global
leadership in the conservation and management
of migratory birds for present and future
generations. For more information go to http://
migratorybirds.fws.gov. For more
information on shorebird conservation go to http://
shorebirdplan.fws.gov.
Western Hemisphere Shorebird
Reserve Network (WHSRN)
Many National Wildlife Refuges are also important
shorebird sites. These sites are part of a network
specifically established for shorebirds, called the
Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
(WHSRN). WHSRN gives refuges international
recognition for providing habitat for shorebirds. For
more information go to http://www.manomet.org/
WHSRN
• Indicates a Refuge
3
ANIMAL SUPER HEROES
Superbirds!
Able to cross oceans in a single bound!
Weighing no more than a few ounces
(several quarters).
Not quite as fast as a speeding bullet but
pretty darn fast!
No, we are not talking about Superman. We are
talking about shorebirds... the rugged super
heroes of the animal kingdom that can be found
sticking their beaks in the mud, chasing down
a meal in the many small and large wetlands
across North America.
World Travelers!
So, you don’t think that these little puffs of
feathers running around in the mud are worthy
of super hero status? Well, think again! Today
they may be running around the edges of a
pond near your town, but within the last few
weekends, those little balls of fluff may have
been sticking their beaks in the mud of some
faraway countries such as Argentina, Brazil,
Suriname, Venezuela, and Mexico.
Super Bird Food!
OK, sticking your beak in the mud, and eating
grubby little mud-sucking creatures isn’t a
typical super hero activity. But just like Popeye
and his spinach, those unappetizing little
creatures that shorebirds eat give them the
energy to do some pretty spectacular things.
Still not convinced? Well, read on and do the
activities in this guide to learn more. Then
decide for yourself if you think that they qualify
as super heroes of the animal kingdom.
4
WHO ARE THESE SUPER HEROES?
There are 49 different species of shorebirds
found in North America. What they mainly
have in common are their long beaks, legs, toes,
long pointy wings, and the ability to build up
and store fat. The long beaks, legs, and toes are
perfect for wading around in search of food in
the mud and shallow water of the wetlands and
coastal beaches where they live.
Some shorebirds, like the Killdeer, may spend
their summers in your neighborhood or on your
school grounds feeding and nesting. Killdeers
move to the southern United States, Mexico,
or Central America in the winter to find food.
Others, like the Hudsonian Godwit, fly each
spring from the very southern tip of South
America to the Arctic Circle and back. This
round-trip journey is over 20,000 miles!
Hudsonian Godwit
long feet
long toes
long beaks
Black-bellied Plover
long narrow wings
for speed, agility,
and long flights
Killdeer
(Charadrius vociferus)
Hudsonian Godwit
(Limosa haemastica)
Key
Breeding area
Resident year round
Wintering area
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SHOREBIRDS WORD SEARCH
are long and pointed, perfect for long flights.
Variations in the shape and size of their bill,
the length of their legs, and their color can
help you tell the different species apart. Their
behavior also varies from species to species.
They usually nest on the ground and their
eggs are camouflaged to help them hide
from predators. Most shorebirds feed on
invertebrates found in wetlands.
Shorebirds may migrate great distances
between their breeding and wintering areas.
They may need to stop and refuel and rest
along the way.
Shorebirds are a group of birds adapted to live
near water. They include plovers, sandpipers,
curlews, avocets, and stilts. Killdeers are a
type of shorebird too. They use a variety of
wetland habitat types including rivers and
streams, tundra, mudflats, estuaries, bogs,
and sandy beaches. Some shorebirds such as
killdeers are adapted to live in grasslands.
Shorebirds have several adaptations to help
them fly. They have hollow bones which
provide a strong but lightweight framework.
Their feathers are also light and provide them
with warmth as well as coloration. Their wings
S A N D Y B E A C H E S I P J
E V P E T T M I D O X D J U P
T O R G S A R M X L K R S G L
A C E A A T E I Q L I I K X O
R E D L R I F G S O L B D G V
B T A F D B U R X W L E N J E
E S T U N A E A W B D R U S R
T L O O U H L T E O E O O X S
R L R M T G M E E N E H M D T
E Y S A N D P I P E R S N U A
V L E C S D N A L S S A R G L
N F S T L I T S W E L R U C F
I C H J L A D A P T E D R G D
X K R O I V A H E B P Y F H U
F D X N B P C W K M W E N G M
Read about shorebirds and then find the hidden words in the puzzle. The words to look for
are in bold letters. Search for the words across, up, and down and diagonally in all directions.
Answers: page 32
6
BUILD A SHOREBIRD, BUILD MAYA!
Add the correct beak, legs, feet and wings to complete
the shorebird.
Which feet would best suit a
shorebird for walking in its
wetland habitat?
What type of wings help the
shorebird fly long distance and
escape quickly from predators?
What beak would best help a
shorebird probe in the mud for food?
Which legs would best suit a
shorebird for its wetland habitat?
Answers: page 32
7
WILSON PHALAROPE CONNECT THE DOTS
migration, I flock with others in large numbers
at the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Unlike most birds,
females are more colorful than males during
the breeding season. I am a Wilson’s Phalarope.
Find a bird field guide and color me.
I swim in the water a lot, spinning in circles to
help my food come to the surface where I can
reach it with my long pointed bill. I nest in the
western United States and central Canada. I
spend my winters in South America. During
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AMERICAN AVOCET CONNECT THE DOTS
In the spring my head, neck, and chest are a
bright orange color. My wings are black and
white. Like most shorebirds I nest on the ground.
My eggs are speckled and this camouflage helps
me hide them from predators. I swish my curved
bill in the water and use it to find food. In the
winter I live in Mexico, Central America, and
along the Gulf Coast of the United States. In
the spring, I migrate to breed in western United
States and southern Canada. I am an American
Avocet. Find a bird field guide and color me.
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I am a shorebird even though I am often not
found next to water. You have probably seen me
near a road or in a pasture. If predators get too
close to my eggs, I will try to distract them and
9
KILLDEER CONNECT THE DOTS
lead them away by pretending to have a broken
wing. My two dark chest bands help identify me
as a Killdeer. Also, I call my name when I fly, ‘kill-deer,
kill-deer.’
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11
WHAT CAN I EAT WITH THIS BEAK?
Activity Background: In a wetland or on a beach
food is everywhere. Even though you cannot easily
see it—shorebirds can! Each shorebird species has
a uniquely adapted beak to find its food.
Whimbrel: I am a Whimbrel. I use my down–
curved bill to probe very deeply into the mud
for my food.
Western Sandpiper: Some people think my
beak looks like tweezers when I eat. I probe the
mud near the surface.
Activity Instructions: Below is a picture of a
beach with food buried in the soil. Your task
is to read the clues for each of the shorebird
species and choose which food item in the
picture you think the bird is best adapted to eat.
Sanderling: I nab insects on the surface of the
sand and mud with my beak.
Long–billed Dowitcher: The clue is in my
name! I probe deeply in the mud for food.
10 Answers: page 32
Great concentrations of shorebirds fly thousands
of miles every spring and fall to and from their
breeding grounds. During their long journey
they stop at a variety of habitats including
wetlands, grasslands, and sandy beaches to rest
and feed.
Like many birds, shorebirds move to find better
food supplies as the seasons change. This
movement is called migration. Many shorebirds
11
OLYMPIC FLYERS!
migrate to South America during the winter to
avoid the cold. Countries south of the equator
have the opposite seasons we do. When it is
winter here, it is summer in Argentina. When the
days become colder in South America, they are
just beginning to get warmer in North America.
Shorebirds fly north to take advantage of the
insect-rich North American summer.
12
SHOREBIRD MIGRATION WORD SEARCH
Shorebirds migrate between their wintering and
breeding grounds each year. Many follow a path
called a flyway. Some birds may travel a long
distance each season. Birds that nest in the
Arctic may spend the winter in South America.
Many feed on invertebrates to build up their
fat reserves and rest at stopover sites along
the way. Along the way, shorebirds may
face many potential threats. Loss of habitat,
pollution, and predators, such as falcons
and owls, can all be hazardous to migrating,
wintering, and nesting shorebirds. These are all
limiting factors that affect how many shorebirds
there are.
A biologist studying migrating shorebirds may
catch them and put a metal ring around their
leg. They use fine nets called mist nets, which
are similar to hair nets, to catch the shorebirds. By
banding the birds, biologists can learn where an
individual bird goes when it leaves an area, how
long it may live, and more about its behavior.
Binoculars are helpful to view birds from a
distance. Next time you are watching birds,
see if you can estimate how many birds are in
a flock or tell if they are defending a feeding
territory from each other.
I G S E A S O N B A N D I N G
F N E U H Q N O I T U L L O P
A I V T H B W M N U R E S T B
D T R E B I O L O G I S T R O
T S E R R C W B C N T T A E U
C E S R W T T E U O K I T V R
O N E I F E E D L L D M I O M
J R R T W D C B A H U A B P J
F E T O C C F U R E H T A O A
E T A R G I M H S A Y E H T Y
H N F Y R P R E D A T O R S G
S I S D J L L B W I T E I Q T
O W H H K C T Y A J C T S K W
N S P T A Q L P T Y W O A S B
J C A X Y F M I S T N E T S M
Read about shorebirds and then find the hidden words in the puzzle. The words to look for
are in bold letters. Search for the words across, up, and down and diagonally in all directions.
Answers: page 32
Across
5. Necessary to gain for migration
7. Educated guess of numbers
8. Limits shorebird numbers
9. What migrating birds are looking for
10. Seasonal movement between two spots
13
SHOREBIRD MIGRATION CROSSWORD PUZZLE
– TEST WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED!
Down
1. Scientist who studies wildlife
2. Large groups found at migratory stopovers
3. Way of marking birds
4. Migratory routes
6. Dangers
1 2 3
5 6
4
7
8
9
10
Answers: page 33
14
MINDFUL OF MIGRATION
If you are visiting a National Wildlife
Refuge that is a migration stopover site
during spring, you will probably see
thousands of shorebirds. But if you are
visiting the refuge in the summertime, you
might only see a handful. Where have all
the shorebirds gone? Many birds have
both summer and winter homes. Each
year they make the same round–trip
flight, or migration, from one home to the
other. Why would they make this long
and dangerous trip every year? Most
North American birds migrate south for
the winter to follow warmer weather and
abundant food supplies and return north
to nest when spring has sprung.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in
Virginia is located on the Atlantic flyway, a
common route for migrating birds. More
than 320 species of birds use the refuge as
a stopover to rest and eat during their long
journeys.
Refuge biologists keep track of the bird
species using the refuge. This information
is used to follow trends or patterns in bird
populations and to change the refuge’s
management practices if necessary.
Activity Instructions: Study the
shorebird surveys below. Based on the
survey information, graph when those
birds are at the refuge and answer the
questions.
Questions:
If Dunlins are at the Chincoteague National
Wildlife Refuge in fall through spring, where do
they go in the summer?
Do you think Piping Plovers breed at the refuge or
simply stop to rest during their migration?
Do you think Least Sandpipers breed at Chincoteague
or simply stop to rest during their migration?
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge – Shorebird Survey
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.
Dunlin 357 848 526 806 6,663 4 0 0 0 99 2,356 427
Least
Sandpiper 0 2 0 58 1,253 0 595 61 70 0 5 0
Piping
Plover 0 0 30 60 66 90 90 80 30 0 0 0
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
Jun.
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
7,000
6,000
3,000
1,000
800
500
300
100
90
60
30
0
Number
of birds
Months of the Year
So you think that nothing can possibly eat as
much as your big brother? Well, shorebirds have
an ability to put away food that would put a
teenager to shame! To make up for all the weight
that they lose during their long flights, they feed
nearly continuously on insects, small worms, and
other food items. Although they may arrive in
their resting areas half-starved, they can nearly
double their weight in just a few weeks. Could you
do that? To figure out how much you would have
to eat, do the sample problem below.
If a hamburger weighs a quarter pound and an 80-
pound student has to double his or her weight in
2 weeks. how many hamburgers would he or she
have to eat? ___________________
This is of course impossible for humans, but not for
our super hero shorebirds. They are able to add
enough fat to their bodies to fuel long flights of
up to 70 hours without a rest at speeds of up to 60
miles an hour!
15
SUPER APPETITES & AMAZING FLYERS
The Pacific Golden Plover flies non-stop for 2 to
3 days from Hawaii and other Pacific Islands to
Alaska.
How long can you continue to flap your arms?
The tiny Western Sandpiper flies over 250 miles
per day between stopover points along the Pacific
coast to Alaska. Now that’s good mileage!
How far can your family’s car go without stopping
for gas?
Answers: page 33
START
FINISH
16
WHICH WAY TO THE NESTING GROUNDS?
Can you help this shorebird find its way to the
nesting ground in time to lay eggs and raise
young before winter?
Shorebirds take advantage of our insect–rich
North American summers to build nests and rear
their young. Some find good nesting areas in the
grasslands and prairie pothole wetlands of the
Great Plains. Others continue even farther north
to the Canadian and Alaskan Arctic. On the arctic
tundra, the summer only lasts a couple of months.
Shorebirds must arrive as soon as it gets warm in
order to have time to build their nests, lay their
eggs, and raise their young before it gets cold
again. By the time winter arrives, both adults and
chicks are well on their way south again.
Habitat provides an animal with the food,
water, shelter, and space that it needs to live and
raise its young. Some examples of shorebird
habitat include wetlands and grasslands. A
sandy beach along the coast may also be a
good area for it to nest, spend the winter, or
feed during migration. Since conditions change
during the year, shorebirds often migrate long
distances to find food and raise their young.
During migration they use flyways, or routes,
to travel from their breeding to their wintering
areas and back again. Along flyways they may
use stopover sites where they rest and feed
on invertebrates. Many species fly from South
America to the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic to
nest on the treeless, insect–rich tundra wetland.
Others nest in grasslands along the coasts in the
United States and Canada.
17
SHOREBIRD HABITAT WORD SEARCH
Once on their breeding grounds, they quickly set
up nesting territory. They nest on the ground
and depend on their camouflage to protect them
from predators. Most shorebirds nest on the
ground in scrapes, shallow depressions, that may
be lined with vegetation or small rock chips. Their
eggs, usually three or four, are camouflaged to help
them hide from predators. One or both parents
will incubate the eggs until they hatch. The young
leave the nest and begin feeding on bugs right
away. The young birds stay with an adult until they
fledge, when they grow their flight feathers and
learn to fly.
Shorebirds face many different threats such as loss
of habitat, pollution, and disturbance by people.
Because they cross boundaries of so many
countries, it is important to have international
cooperation for shorebird conservation.
L C Y C W E T L A N D S S C Q
A O B A I C M H T T G E R I Y
N N Q M N N Q C L R T D E T F
O S R O T A O A T A I E V C L
I E T U E B T E R R I T O R Y
T R V F R R B B P D S S P A W
A V T L Y U E Y O N N A O Z A
N A R A Z T O D L U D O T V Y
R T A G R S Y N L T F C S W S
E I S E D I V A U L T P A B P
T O V O O D S S T A T I B A H
N N O I T A R G I M M O Z U S
I F M J I Z S R O T A D E R P
Z U G N I T S E N W V O M B L
Answers: page 33
Read about shorebirds and then find the hidden words in the puzzle. The words to look for
are in bold letters. Search for the words across, up, and down and diagonally in all directions.
18
SHOREBIRD BREEDING CROSSWORD
PUZZLE - TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Across
2. How they got there
5. Where many shorebirds nest
6. Egg and chick defense
7. Make the nest here
8. Food for baby birds
Down
1. Foxes, raptors, and snakes to a shorebird
3. Sitting on eggs to keep them warm
4. When young begin to fly
5. Area a shorebird protects, usually around its
nest or feeding area
1
2 3
4
6
8
7
5
Answers: page 33
Grasses are the most common plants in many
wetlands. These grasses are the building blocks
of the wetland food web, providing lots of food
for marsh critters. However, most marsh animals,
such as some insects and crabs, cannot digest
the tough plant material. When the grass dies,
bacteria break down the dead leaves and stems
through a process known as decomposition. The
leftover decomposed matter is then available
to other animals in a form they can eat. This
decomposed vegetation, along with tiny bits
of animal remains, is called detritus. Crabs, fish,
mussels, clams, and many other animals feed on
19
WETLAND STEW FOOD CHAIN GAME
detritus. In turn they eventually become food for
other animals. Nothing is wasted and everything
is dependent upon one another.
Shorebirds are an important part of this food
chain. Their waste, or poop, provides important
food and nutrients for the bacteria in the wetland.
Activity Instructions: Begin with the detritus
and connect each plant or animal to what eats it.
More than one animal can feed on the same thing.
Mosquito larva
Falcon
Great blue heron
Clam
Raccoon
Blue crab
Shorebird poop
Shorebirds
Catfish
Grass shrimp
Vegetation
Bacteria
Detritus
Answers: page 34
20
WETLAND METAPHORS
Metaphors are a way to
compare unrelated things, such as "Wes is a
barrel of laughs." Below are pictures of items seemingly
unrelated to wetlands. Can you figure out how these items compare
to a wetland? In other words, think about what each item does. Then
compare that item's function to how a wetland might function
in that same way. Good luck!
Sponge
Pillow
Egg beater
Cradle
Strainer
Can of soup
What is a home, a sponge, and a strainer all at the same time?
Flower
Answers: page 34
beautiful places
Shorebird Threat Categories
Predators
Natural Events
Human Related
Which category has the most threats listed
under it?
Which threats can we not control?
Can you come up with a solution for one of the
human related threats?
21
IT’S A TOUGH LIFE FOR A
SUPER HERO SHOREBIRD
Threats
fox
cat
hurricane
drought
flood
raccoon
parking lot
disease
gull
oil spill
trash
polluted water
buildings
filling in wetland
overgrazing
Answers: page 34
Shorebirds face many challenges to survive such as loss of habitat, predators, pollution, disturbance by
people and pets, disease, and harsh weather. But by far their biggest challenge is the loss of habitat.
Activity Instructions: Below are a number of threats to shorebird survival. Your job is to put each threat
in the correct category.
22
COLORING PAGE
Use your talent to help conserve our migratory
super heroes.
How?
Assemble a sandpiper sculpture… Design a
dunlin diorama… Photograph a phalarope
foraging… Write a ruff rap… Pen a piping plover
poem… It’s up to you.
Send the Shorebird Sister Schools Program
sssp@fws.gov an electronic version of your best
creative product.
23
SHOREBIRD SISTER SCHOOLS –
GET CREATIVE!!!
Send all images as a JPG no larger than 1MB in
file size and all written works in an MS Word-compatible
format.
All submissions must be accompanied by a release
form that includes the following statements: “I
grant permission to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Shorebird Sister Schools Program to post my
photo/essay/poem/etc. on the http://sssp.fws.gov
site and use it in their publications.” “I would like
my work to be credited as ____________.”
24
DAYS OF OUR LIVES GAME
NESTS AND TALLY SHEET
What You Need: Like on TV soap operas,
shorebirds face many perils during their lives. Play
the game with three or four of your friends to
learn more about shorebird survival. You will need
a die, a game piece, an egg tally and nest sheet
for each player (provided below), and about forty
dry beans that represent eggs.
How to Play: 1. Start with your game pieces at
the wintering grounds. 2. Taking turns, roll the die
and migrate north the number of spaces on the
die. If you land on a space with instructions, follow
them. 3. While migrating, keep track of how many
eggs you lose or gain on your egg tally sheet.
This shows how healthy or sick a bird is and how
its health can effect the number of eggs it can
lay. 4. Once you reach the breeding grounds you
get 4 eggs (beans) to place in your nest. Subtract
or add eggs to your nest depending on the tally
from your egg tally sheet. 5. Then continue
rolling the die and following what the spaces tell
you. The eggs become young shorebirds when
you continue migration back to the wintering
grounds, South. 6. The winner of the game is
the shorebird that has the most young left upon
returning to the wintering grounds.
Tally Eggs Here Tally Eggs Here
Tally Eggs Here Tally Eggs Here
✃ Cut along dotted lines Turn to pages 26 and 27 to play the game.
Nest Nest
Nest Nest
25
COLORING PAGE
Use a field guide to learn how to color each bird.
26
DAYS OF OUR LIVES:
SHOREBIRD SOAP OPERAS
START
END
A wet year at a
wetland stopover site
has resulted in a lot of
insects for you to eat. Pick up
(lay) an extra egg when you
get to the breeding
grounds
A spring storm has blown
you off course. You'll arrive
late at the breeding grounds.
Pick up only three eggs when
you get there.
A coastal estuary
has become polluted by
toxins in runoff from urban
areas and farmland. It is no longer
a safe stopover site. Your young
may hatch with deformities. Lay
only two eggs on the
breeding grounds.
A farmer registered a wetland on
his property into a government
wetlands conservation program. A good
food supply there helped your young
reach the winter grounds. Add two
young shorebirds.
An oil spill destroyed a
bay needed by many
migrating shorebirds. All of
your young die.
A wetland stopover site has
been protected as a reserve. You
are able to feed without being
disturbed by people and can build up
fat needed to continue your journey.
Pick up (lay) an extra egg when
you reach the breeding
grounds.
A critical wetland stopover site was
degraded when a new highway was
built. Two of your young are not able to
get enough fuel to make the journey
back to the wintering grounds.
A critical wetland
“refueling” site has been
drained and plowed. You won't
have enough energy to
continue the journey.
Migrate back to start.
WINTERING
GROUNDS
N
S
You chose a well
camouflaged nest site
and your eggs are safe.
Add one egg.
A fox discovered your
nest and destroyed one
of your eggs.
Human access to the nesting
beach has been restricted. You are
able to double clutch (produce two
sets of chicks in a row). Pick up
four extra eggs.
Loose running dogs from a housing
development chased you off your nest.
You lose two eggs which overheated
while you were off the nest.
Unexpected high water
levels flooded your nest. Two
eggs are destroyed.
You defended
your eggs from a weasel
by pretending to have an
injured wing to distract the
predator. Pick up two
more eggs.
A person riding an ATV
through the nesting area
accidentally smashed your
nest with a tire. You lose all
your eggs. Migrate to
the end.
You managed to scare off a
cow that almost trampled your
nest. Pick up one more egg.
PICK UP (LAY EGGS) EGGS BECOME
YOUNG SHOREBIRDS
Activity Provided by Utah Project WILD 27
BREEDING
GROUNDS
28
EVEN SUPER HEROES NEED OUR HELP
START
FINISH
National
Wildlife
Refuge
National
Grassland
TRASH
N
Bird Watching
Bird Banding
Native Plants
Shorebird
Reserve
Wetlands
Restoration
WHSRN Site
Can you think of
something that the
countries of Argentina,
Suriname, Brazil, the
United States, and Canada
all have in common? They all
provide habitat for shorebirds!
Since shorebirds travel through
many different countries it is
very hard to protect them. People
throughout the Americas must work
together to preserve the wetlands needed
by shorebirds during migration.
As the sandpiper migrates north, show it all the
special things people are doing across the Americas
to help conserve shorebirds and their habitats.
Across
1. A prairie_____is a small wetland found in the
Great Plains.
4. Many shorebirds lay their eggs and raise their
young in the _____, where summers are very
short.
8. When it is fall in South America it is_____in
North America.
9. Wetlands help prevent_____by holding excess
water during heavy rains.
10. Shorebirds stick their beaks in the_____to
find insects and worms to eat.
11. People in Argentina speak this language.
12. Many shorebirds_____from South America
to North America each year to take
advantage of the North American summer to
lay their eggs and raise their young.
29
LEARNING ABOUT SHOREBIRDS
IS HELPING THEM!
Learning about and becoming aware of
shorebirds and their habitat are the first steps in
helping to conserve them. Test your knowledge
with these puzzles.
Down
2. _____are animal super heroes.
3. Shorebirds have long legs and_____, which
are perfect for getting around and feeding in
wetlands.
5. A baby bird is called a_____.
6. Shorebirds can nearly double their_____in just
a few weeks by eating many small insects and
worms.
7. Most shorebirds live near_____. These areas
provide them with the food and shelter that
they need.
8. The Western_____probes the mud near the
surface for food.
1
2 3
4 5
6
8
11
12
10
9
7
Answers: page 34
30
Directions
The seven sentences at the bottom of the page
are clues to the seven corresponding word banks
above. Fill in the blank spaces by figuring out the
clues. When you have filled in all the blanks, the
circled letters will spell the mystery word.
1. A place that has waterlogged soils and is often
covered with shallow water for at least part of
the year.
2. A bird bander who needed to capture
shorebirds might use one of these.
3. Where an animal lives because it can find food
and a place to rest or breed.
4. A type of shorebird habitat with cold winters,
short growing seasons, and no trees.
SHOREBIRD CIRCLE PUZZLE
5. How shorebirds get from their breeding
grounds to their wintering grounds.
6. The time of the year when shorebirds are in
the Arctic.
7. The route birds take during migrations: there
are 4 or 5 major ones leading to the Arctic.
1. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
2. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
3. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
4. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
5. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
6. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
7. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
Mystery word: ___________________________________
Answers: page 35
31
JOIN THE FLOCK!
Cruise the Super Shorebird Highway at
http://sssp.fws.gov
... and step into the fascinating world of
shorebirds.
What’s on the Website?
■ You can see video clips of your favorite
shorebirds.
■ You can ask biologists questions, learn
about shorebirds from other people around
the world, and report your own shorebird
observations.
■ You can follow as scientists and volunteers
track shorebird migration.
■ You can submit your poems, essays, drawings,
and pictures to be featured on the Web.
■ You can sign up as a Shorebird Sister School.
32
ANSWERS
I G S E A S O N B A N D I N G
F N E U H Q N O I T U L L O P
A I V T H B W M N U R E S T B
D T R E B I O L O G I S T R O
T S E R R C W B C N T T A E U
C E S R W T T E U O K I T V R
O N E I F E E D L L D M I O M
J R R T W D C B A H U A B P J
F E T O C C F U R E H T A O A
E T A R G I M H S A Y E H T Y
H N F Y R P R E D A T O R S G
S I S D J L L B W I T E I Q T
O W H H K C T Y A J C T S K W
N S P T A Q L P T Y W O A S B
J C A X Y F M I S T N E T S M
S A N D Y B E A C H E S I P J
E V P E T T M I D O X D J U P
T O R G S A R M X L K R S G L
A C E A A T E I Q L I I K X O
R E D L R I F G S O L B D G V
B T A F D B U R X W L E N J E
E S T U N A E A W B D R U S R
T L O O U H L T E O E O O X S
R L R M T G M E E N E H M D T
E Y S A N D P I P E R S N U A
V L E C S D N A L S S A R G L
N F S T L I T S W E L R U C F
I C H J L A D A P T E D R G D
X K R O I V A H E B P Y F H U
F D X N B P C W K M W E N G M
Shorebirds Word Search page 5
Correct bird parts
Build a Shorebird, Build Maya page 6
What Can I Eat With This Beak? page 10
Shorebird Migration Word Search page 12
33
ANSWERS
L C Y C W E T L A N D S S C Q
A O B A I C M H T T G E R I Y
N N Q M N N Q C L R T D E T F
O S R O T A O A T A I E V C L
I E T U E B T E R R I T O R Y
T R V F R R B B P D S S P A W
A V T L Y U E Y O N N A O Z A
N A R A Z T O D L U D O T V Y
R T A G R S Y N L T F C S W S
E I S E D I V A U L T P A B P
T O V O O D S S T A T I B A H
N N O I T A R G I M M O Z U S
I F M J I Z S R O T A D E R P
Z U G N I T S E N W V O M B L
1 2 3
5 6
4
7
8
9
10
Shorebird Migration Crossword page 13
Super Appetites page 15
80 pounds x 2 = 160
80 + (0.25X) = 160
0.25X = 80
X = 80/0.25
X = 320 hamburgers
or
80 pounds x 2 = 160
160 – 80(present weight) = 80lbs to be
gained
1 hamburger =.25 pound
#hamburgers in 80lbs = 80/.25 = 320
Shorebird Habitat page 17
1
2 3
4
6
8
7
5
Shorebird Breeding Crossword page 18
34
ANSWERS
Wetland Stew Food Chain page 19
Sponge
Pillow
Egg beater
Cradle
Strainer
Can of soup
What is a home, a sponge, and a strainer all at the same time?
WETLAND
Flower
help prevent floods,
absorbs water, holds moisture
a resting place for migratory birds,
home for resident wildlife
mix and cycle nutrients
raise young, provide shelter
strain out debris and pollution
beautiful places food, nutrients
Wetland Metaphors page 20
Predators—fox, cat, gull, raccoon
Natural events—hurricane, drought, flood, disease
Human related— parking lot, oil spill, trash,
polluted water, buildings, filling in wetland,
overgrazing
Which category has the most threats listed under it?
human related
Which threats can we not control?
natural events, some predators–cats should be
indoors
Can you come up with a solution for one of the
human related threats? pick up trash, prevent oil
spills, clean polluted water, keep cats indoors
It’s a Tough Life For a Super Hero Shorebird
page 21
1
2 3
4 5
6
8
11
12
10
9
7
Learning About Shorebirds Is Helping Them!
page 29
Vegetation
Bacteria
Detritus
35
ANSWERS
Shorebird Circle Puzzle page 30
1. WETLAND
2. MIST NET
3. HABITAT
4. TUNDRA
5. MIGRATE
6. BREEDING SEASON
7. FLYWAY
Mystery Word: ESTUARY
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
National Conservation Training Center
Shorebird Sister Schools
698 Conservation Way
Shepherdstown, WV
25443
E-mail: sssp@fws.gov
http://sssp.fws.gov
March 2006
http://www.manomet.org/WHSRN
This Student Activity Guide was
produced by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service’s Shorebird Sister
Schools Program.
Information, activities, and review
provided by the Western Hemisphere
Shorebird Reserve Network and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s
National Wildlife Refuges and
Division of Migratory Birds.
Thanks to the students and
educators across the United States
who reviewed the guide and provided
valuable comments!
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
is working with others to conserve, protect, and
enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for
the continuing benefit of the American people.

Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.

SHOREBIRDS–MIGRATORY SUPER HEROES!
A Student Activity Guide
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
2
Dear Educator,
Welcome to the fascinating world of shorebirds! The diversity of physical and behavioral adaptations
of shorebirds, plus the shear magnitude of their global migration, make them a captivating topic for
students. This activity guide can be used by students alone or along with the Shorebird Sister Schools
curriculum. The activities vary in difficulty and are designed to meet various learning levels from 2nd
through 6th grades. Please send your comments and questions to the Shorebird Sister Schools Program
coordinator at sssp@fws.gov or by calling 304/876 7783.
National Wildlife Refuges
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages national
wildlife refuges, the world’s largest and most diverse
collection of lands set aside specifically for wildlife.
Many refuges provide important habitat for migrat-ing
and nesting shorebirds.
March 14, 2003 marked the 100th anniversary
of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Pelican
Island, Florida, was the first national wildlife refuge
established by President Theodore Roosevelt in
1903. Since then, more than 500 refuges have been
designated. They include nearly 100 million acres
across the United States and its territories. Looking
at this map, is there a refuge in your state? To learn
more go to http://refuges.fws.gov.
Hawaii Alaska
Division of Migratory Bird Management
Working with partners, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service is responsible for providing global
leadership in the conservation and management
of migratory birds for present and future
generations. For more information go to http://
migratorybirds.fws.gov. For more
information on shorebird conservation go to http://
shorebirdplan.fws.gov.
Western Hemisphere Shorebird
Reserve Network (WHSRN)
Many National Wildlife Refuges are also important
shorebird sites. These sites are part of a network
specifically established for shorebirds, called the
Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
(WHSRN). WHSRN gives refuges international
recognition for providing habitat for shorebirds. For
more information go to http://www.manomet.org/
WHSRN
• Indicates a Refuge
3
ANIMAL SUPER HEROES
Superbirds!
Able to cross oceans in a single bound!
Weighing no more than a few ounces
(several quarters).
Not quite as fast as a speeding bullet but
pretty darn fast!
No, we are not talking about Superman. We are
talking about shorebirds... the rugged super
heroes of the animal kingdom that can be found
sticking their beaks in the mud, chasing down
a meal in the many small and large wetlands
across North America.
World Travelers!
So, you don’t think that these little puffs of
feathers running around in the mud are worthy
of super hero status? Well, think again! Today
they may be running around the edges of a
pond near your town, but within the last few
weekends, those little balls of fluff may have
been sticking their beaks in the mud of some
faraway countries such as Argentina, Brazil,
Suriname, Venezuela, and Mexico.
Super Bird Food!
OK, sticking your beak in the mud, and eating
grubby little mud-sucking creatures isn’t a
typical super hero activity. But just like Popeye
and his spinach, those unappetizing little
creatures that shorebirds eat give them the
energy to do some pretty spectacular things.
Still not convinced? Well, read on and do the
activities in this guide to learn more. Then
decide for yourself if you think that they qualify
as super heroes of the animal kingdom.
4
WHO ARE THESE SUPER HEROES?
There are 49 different species of shorebirds
found in North America. What they mainly
have in common are their long beaks, legs, toes,
long pointy wings, and the ability to build up
and store fat. The long beaks, legs, and toes are
perfect for wading around in search of food in
the mud and shallow water of the wetlands and
coastal beaches where they live.
Some shorebirds, like the Killdeer, may spend
their summers in your neighborhood or on your
school grounds feeding and nesting. Killdeers
move to the southern United States, Mexico,
or Central America in the winter to find food.
Others, like the Hudsonian Godwit, fly each
spring from the very southern tip of South
America to the Arctic Circle and back. This
round-trip journey is over 20,000 miles!
Hudsonian Godwit
long feet
long toes
long beaks
Black-bellied Plover
long narrow wings
for speed, agility,
and long flights
Killdeer
(Charadrius vociferus)
Hudsonian Godwit
(Limosa haemastica)
Key
Breeding area
Resident year round
Wintering area
5
SHOREBIRDS WORD SEARCH
are long and pointed, perfect for long flights.
Variations in the shape and size of their bill,
the length of their legs, and their color can
help you tell the different species apart. Their
behavior also varies from species to species.
They usually nest on the ground and their
eggs are camouflaged to help them hide
from predators. Most shorebirds feed on
invertebrates found in wetlands.
Shorebirds may migrate great distances
between their breeding and wintering areas.
They may need to stop and refuel and rest
along the way.
Shorebirds are a group of birds adapted to live
near water. They include plovers, sandpipers,
curlews, avocets, and stilts. Killdeers are a
type of shorebird too. They use a variety of
wetland habitat types including rivers and
streams, tundra, mudflats, estuaries, bogs,
and sandy beaches. Some shorebirds such as
killdeers are adapted to live in grasslands.
Shorebirds have several adaptations to help
them fly. They have hollow bones which
provide a strong but lightweight framework.
Their feathers are also light and provide them
with warmth as well as coloration. Their wings
S A N D Y B E A C H E S I P J
E V P E T T M I D O X D J U P
T O R G S A R M X L K R S G L
A C E A A T E I Q L I I K X O
R E D L R I F G S O L B D G V
B T A F D B U R X W L E N J E
E S T U N A E A W B D R U S R
T L O O U H L T E O E O O X S
R L R M T G M E E N E H M D T
E Y S A N D P I P E R S N U A
V L E C S D N A L S S A R G L
N F S T L I T S W E L R U C F
I C H J L A D A P T E D R G D
X K R O I V A H E B P Y F H U
F D X N B P C W K M W E N G M
Read about shorebirds and then find the hidden words in the puzzle. The words to look for
are in bold letters. Search for the words across, up, and down and diagonally in all directions.
Answers: page 32
6
BUILD A SHOREBIRD, BUILD MAYA!
Add the correct beak, legs, feet and wings to complete
the shorebird.
Which feet would best suit a
shorebird for walking in its
wetland habitat?
What type of wings help the
shorebird fly long distance and
escape quickly from predators?
What beak would best help a
shorebird probe in the mud for food?
Which legs would best suit a
shorebird for its wetland habitat?
Answers: page 32
7
WILSON PHALAROPE CONNECT THE DOTS
migration, I flock with others in large numbers
at the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Unlike most birds,
females are more colorful than males during
the breeding season. I am a Wilson’s Phalarope.
Find a bird field guide and color me.
I swim in the water a lot, spinning in circles to
help my food come to the surface where I can
reach it with my long pointed bill. I nest in the
western United States and central Canada. I
spend my winters in South America. During
•
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•
•
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3
4
5
6
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9 10
11 12
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15
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8
AMERICAN AVOCET CONNECT THE DOTS
In the spring my head, neck, and chest are a
bright orange color. My wings are black and
white. Like most shorebirds I nest on the ground.
My eggs are speckled and this camouflage helps
me hide them from predators. I swish my curved
bill in the water and use it to find food. In the
winter I live in Mexico, Central America, and
along the Gulf Coast of the United States. In
the spring, I migrate to breed in western United
States and southern Canada. I am an American
Avocet. Find a bird field guide and color me.
•
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•
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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•
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2
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12 11 13
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24 25
26 27
•
I am a shorebird even though I am often not
found next to water. You have probably seen me
near a road or in a pasture. If predators get too
close to my eggs, I will try to distract them and
9
KILLDEER CONNECT THE DOTS
lead them away by pretending to have a broken
wing. My two dark chest bands help identify me
as a Killdeer. Also, I call my name when I fly, ‘kill-deer,
kill-deer.’
• 2
• 1
• 3
• 4
• 5 •
6
•
•
•
•
•
7
8
10
9
11
WHAT CAN I EAT WITH THIS BEAK?
Activity Background: In a wetland or on a beach
food is everywhere. Even though you cannot easily
see it—shorebirds can! Each shorebird species has
a uniquely adapted beak to find its food.
Whimbrel: I am a Whimbrel. I use my down–
curved bill to probe very deeply into the mud
for my food.
Western Sandpiper: Some people think my
beak looks like tweezers when I eat. I probe the
mud near the surface.
Activity Instructions: Below is a picture of a
beach with food buried in the soil. Your task
is to read the clues for each of the shorebird
species and choose which food item in the
picture you think the bird is best adapted to eat.
Sanderling: I nab insects on the surface of the
sand and mud with my beak.
Long–billed Dowitcher: The clue is in my
name! I probe deeply in the mud for food.
10 Answers: page 32
Great concentrations of shorebirds fly thousands
of miles every spring and fall to and from their
breeding grounds. During their long journey
they stop at a variety of habitats including
wetlands, grasslands, and sandy beaches to rest
and feed.
Like many birds, shorebirds move to find better
food supplies as the seasons change. This
movement is called migration. Many shorebirds
11
OLYMPIC FLYERS!
migrate to South America during the winter to
avoid the cold. Countries south of the equator
have the opposite seasons we do. When it is
winter here, it is summer in Argentina. When the
days become colder in South America, they are
just beginning to get warmer in North America.
Shorebirds fly north to take advantage of the
insect-rich North American summer.
12
SHOREBIRD MIGRATION WORD SEARCH
Shorebirds migrate between their wintering and
breeding grounds each year. Many follow a path
called a flyway. Some birds may travel a long
distance each season. Birds that nest in the
Arctic may spend the winter in South America.
Many feed on invertebrates to build up their
fat reserves and rest at stopover sites along
the way. Along the way, shorebirds may
face many potential threats. Loss of habitat,
pollution, and predators, such as falcons
and owls, can all be hazardous to migrating,
wintering, and nesting shorebirds. These are all
limiting factors that affect how many shorebirds
there are.
A biologist studying migrating shorebirds may
catch them and put a metal ring around their
leg. They use fine nets called mist nets, which
are similar to hair nets, to catch the shorebirds. By
banding the birds, biologists can learn where an
individual bird goes when it leaves an area, how
long it may live, and more about its behavior.
Binoculars are helpful to view birds from a
distance. Next time you are watching birds,
see if you can estimate how many birds are in
a flock or tell if they are defending a feeding
territory from each other.
I G S E A S O N B A N D I N G
F N E U H Q N O I T U L L O P
A I V T H B W M N U R E S T B
D T R E B I O L O G I S T R O
T S E R R C W B C N T T A E U
C E S R W T T E U O K I T V R
O N E I F E E D L L D M I O M
J R R T W D C B A H U A B P J
F E T O C C F U R E H T A O A
E T A R G I M H S A Y E H T Y
H N F Y R P R E D A T O R S G
S I S D J L L B W I T E I Q T
O W H H K C T Y A J C T S K W
N S P T A Q L P T Y W O A S B
J C A X Y F M I S T N E T S M
Read about shorebirds and then find the hidden words in the puzzle. The words to look for
are in bold letters. Search for the words across, up, and down and diagonally in all directions.
Answers: page 32
Across
5. Necessary to gain for migration
7. Educated guess of numbers
8. Limits shorebird numbers
9. What migrating birds are looking for
10. Seasonal movement between two spots
13
SHOREBIRD MIGRATION CROSSWORD PUZZLE
– TEST WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED!
Down
1. Scientist who studies wildlife
2. Large groups found at migratory stopovers
3. Way of marking birds
4. Migratory routes
6. Dangers
1 2 3
5 6
4
7
8
9
10
Answers: page 33
14
MINDFUL OF MIGRATION
If you are visiting a National Wildlife
Refuge that is a migration stopover site
during spring, you will probably see
thousands of shorebirds. But if you are
visiting the refuge in the summertime, you
might only see a handful. Where have all
the shorebirds gone? Many birds have
both summer and winter homes. Each
year they make the same round–trip
flight, or migration, from one home to the
other. Why would they make this long
and dangerous trip every year? Most
North American birds migrate south for
the winter to follow warmer weather and
abundant food supplies and return north
to nest when spring has sprung.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in
Virginia is located on the Atlantic flyway, a
common route for migrating birds. More
than 320 species of birds use the refuge as
a stopover to rest and eat during their long
journeys.
Refuge biologists keep track of the bird
species using the refuge. This information
is used to follow trends or patterns in bird
populations and to change the refuge’s
management practices if necessary.
Activity Instructions: Study the
shorebird surveys below. Based on the
survey information, graph when those
birds are at the refuge and answer the
questions.
Questions:
If Dunlins are at the Chincoteague National
Wildlife Refuge in fall through spring, where do
they go in the summer?
Do you think Piping Plovers breed at the refuge or
simply stop to rest during their migration?
Do you think Least Sandpipers breed at Chincoteague
or simply stop to rest during their migration?
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge – Shorebird Survey
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.
Dunlin 357 848 526 806 6,663 4 0 0 0 99 2,356 427
Least
Sandpiper 0 2 0 58 1,253 0 595 61 70 0 5 0
Piping
Plover 0 0 30 60 66 90 90 80 30 0 0 0
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
Jun.
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
7,000
6,000
3,000
1,000
800
500
300
100
90
60
30
0
Number
of birds
Months of the Year
So you think that nothing can possibly eat as
much as your big brother? Well, shorebirds have
an ability to put away food that would put a
teenager to shame! To make up for all the weight
that they lose during their long flights, they feed
nearly continuously on insects, small worms, and
other food items. Although they may arrive in
their resting areas half-starved, they can nearly
double their weight in just a few weeks. Could you
do that? To figure out how much you would have
to eat, do the sample problem below.
If a hamburger weighs a quarter pound and an 80-
pound student has to double his or her weight in
2 weeks. how many hamburgers would he or she
have to eat? ___________________
This is of course impossible for humans, but not for
our super hero shorebirds. They are able to add
enough fat to their bodies to fuel long flights of
up to 70 hours without a rest at speeds of up to 60
miles an hour!
15
SUPER APPETITES & AMAZING FLYERS
The Pacific Golden Plover flies non-stop for 2 to
3 days from Hawaii and other Pacific Islands to
Alaska.
How long can you continue to flap your arms?
The tiny Western Sandpiper flies over 250 miles
per day between stopover points along the Pacific
coast to Alaska. Now that’s good mileage!
How far can your family’s car go without stopping
for gas?
Answers: page 33
START
FINISH
16
WHICH WAY TO THE NESTING GROUNDS?
Can you help this shorebird find its way to the
nesting ground in time to lay eggs and raise
young before winter?
Shorebirds take advantage of our insect–rich
North American summers to build nests and rear
their young. Some find good nesting areas in the
grasslands and prairie pothole wetlands of the
Great Plains. Others continue even farther north
to the Canadian and Alaskan Arctic. On the arctic
tundra, the summer only lasts a couple of months.
Shorebirds must arrive as soon as it gets warm in
order to have time to build their nests, lay their
eggs, and raise their young before it gets cold
again. By the time winter arrives, both adults and
chicks are well on their way south again.
Habitat provides an animal with the food,
water, shelter, and space that it needs to live and
raise its young. Some examples of shorebird
habitat include wetlands and grasslands. A
sandy beach along the coast may also be a
good area for it to nest, spend the winter, or
feed during migration. Since conditions change
during the year, shorebirds often migrate long
distances to find food and raise their young.
During migration they use flyways, or routes,
to travel from their breeding to their wintering
areas and back again. Along flyways they may
use stopover sites where they rest and feed
on invertebrates. Many species fly from South
America to the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic to
nest on the treeless, insect–rich tundra wetland.
Others nest in grasslands along the coasts in the
United States and Canada.
17
SHOREBIRD HABITAT WORD SEARCH
Once on their breeding grounds, they quickly set
up nesting territory. They nest on the ground
and depend on their camouflage to protect them
from predators. Most shorebirds nest on the
ground in scrapes, shallow depressions, that may
be lined with vegetation or small rock chips. Their
eggs, usually three or four, are camouflaged to help
them hide from predators. One or both parents
will incubate the eggs until they hatch. The young
leave the nest and begin feeding on bugs right
away. The young birds stay with an adult until they
fledge, when they grow their flight feathers and
learn to fly.
Shorebirds face many different threats such as loss
of habitat, pollution, and disturbance by people.
Because they cross boundaries of so many
countries, it is important to have international
cooperation for shorebird conservation.
L C Y C W E T L A N D S S C Q
A O B A I C M H T T G E R I Y
N N Q M N N Q C L R T D E T F
O S R O T A O A T A I E V C L
I E T U E B T E R R I T O R Y
T R V F R R B B P D S S P A W
A V T L Y U E Y O N N A O Z A
N A R A Z T O D L U D O T V Y
R T A G R S Y N L T F C S W S
E I S E D I V A U L T P A B P
T O V O O D S S T A T I B A H
N N O I T A R G I M M O Z U S
I F M J I Z S R O T A D E R P
Z U G N I T S E N W V O M B L
Answers: page 33
Read about shorebirds and then find the hidden words in the puzzle. The words to look for
are in bold letters. Search for the words across, up, and down and diagonally in all directions.
18
SHOREBIRD BREEDING CROSSWORD
PUZZLE - TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Across
2. How they got there
5. Where many shorebirds nest
6. Egg and chick defense
7. Make the nest here
8. Food for baby birds
Down
1. Foxes, raptors, and snakes to a shorebird
3. Sitting on eggs to keep them warm
4. When young begin to fly
5. Area a shorebird protects, usually around its
nest or feeding area
1
2 3
4
6
8
7
5
Answers: page 33
Grasses are the most common plants in many
wetlands. These grasses are the building blocks
of the wetland food web, providing lots of food
for marsh critters. However, most marsh animals,
such as some insects and crabs, cannot digest
the tough plant material. When the grass dies,
bacteria break down the dead leaves and stems
through a process known as decomposition. The
leftover decomposed matter is then available
to other animals in a form they can eat. This
decomposed vegetation, along with tiny bits
of animal remains, is called detritus. Crabs, fish,
mussels, clams, and many other animals feed on
19
WETLAND STEW FOOD CHAIN GAME
detritus. In turn they eventually become food for
other animals. Nothing is wasted and everything
is dependent upon one another.
Shorebirds are an important part of this food
chain. Their waste, or poop, provides important
food and nutrients for the bacteria in the wetland.
Activity Instructions: Begin with the detritus
and connect each plant or animal to what eats it.
More than one animal can feed on the same thing.
Mosquito larva
Falcon
Great blue heron
Clam
Raccoon
Blue crab
Shorebird poop
Shorebirds
Catfish
Grass shrimp
Vegetation
Bacteria
Detritus
Answers: page 34
20
WETLAND METAPHORS
Metaphors are a way to
compare unrelated things, such as "Wes is a
barrel of laughs." Below are pictures of items seemingly
unrelated to wetlands. Can you figure out how these items compare
to a wetland? In other words, think about what each item does. Then
compare that item's function to how a wetland might function
in that same way. Good luck!
Sponge
Pillow
Egg beater
Cradle
Strainer
Can of soup
What is a home, a sponge, and a strainer all at the same time?
Flower
Answers: page 34
beautiful places
Shorebird Threat Categories
Predators
Natural Events
Human Related
Which category has the most threats listed
under it?
Which threats can we not control?
Can you come up with a solution for one of the
human related threats?
21
IT’S A TOUGH LIFE FOR A
SUPER HERO SHOREBIRD
Threats
fox
cat
hurricane
drought
flood
raccoon
parking lot
disease
gull
oil spill
trash
polluted water
buildings
filling in wetland
overgrazing
Answers: page 34
Shorebirds face many challenges to survive such as loss of habitat, predators, pollution, disturbance by
people and pets, disease, and harsh weather. But by far their biggest challenge is the loss of habitat.
Activity Instructions: Below are a number of threats to shorebird survival. Your job is to put each threat
in the correct category.
22
COLORING PAGE
Use your talent to help conserve our migratory
super heroes.
How?
Assemble a sandpiper sculpture… Design a
dunlin diorama… Photograph a phalarope
foraging… Write a ruff rap… Pen a piping plover
poem… It’s up to you.
Send the Shorebird Sister Schools Program
sssp@fws.gov an electronic version of your best
creative product.
23
SHOREBIRD SISTER SCHOOLS –
GET CREATIVE!!!
Send all images as a JPG no larger than 1MB in
file size and all written works in an MS Word-compatible
format.
All submissions must be accompanied by a release
form that includes the following statements: “I
grant permission to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Shorebird Sister Schools Program to post my
photo/essay/poem/etc. on the http://sssp.fws.gov
site and use it in their publications.” “I would like
my work to be credited as ____________.”
24
DAYS OF OUR LIVES GAME
NESTS AND TALLY SHEET
What You Need: Like on TV soap operas,
shorebirds face many perils during their lives. Play
the game with three or four of your friends to
learn more about shorebird survival. You will need
a die, a game piece, an egg tally and nest sheet
for each player (provided below), and about forty
dry beans that represent eggs.
How to Play: 1. Start with your game pieces at
the wintering grounds. 2. Taking turns, roll the die
and migrate north the number of spaces on the
die. If you land on a space with instructions, follow
them. 3. While migrating, keep track of how many
eggs you lose or gain on your egg tally sheet.
This shows how healthy or sick a bird is and how
its health can effect the number of eggs it can
lay. 4. Once you reach the breeding grounds you
get 4 eggs (beans) to place in your nest. Subtract
or add eggs to your nest depending on the tally
from your egg tally sheet. 5. Then continue
rolling the die and following what the spaces tell
you. The eggs become young shorebirds when
you continue migration back to the wintering
grounds, South. 6. The winner of the game is
the shorebird that has the most young left upon
returning to the wintering grounds.
Tally Eggs Here Tally Eggs Here
Tally Eggs Here Tally Eggs Here
✃ Cut along dotted lines Turn to pages 26 and 27 to play the game.
Nest Nest
Nest Nest
25
COLORING PAGE
Use a field guide to learn how to color each bird.
26
DAYS OF OUR LIVES:
SHOREBIRD SOAP OPERAS
START
END
A wet year at a
wetland stopover site
has resulted in a lot of
insects for you to eat. Pick up
(lay) an extra egg when you
get to the breeding
grounds
A spring storm has blown
you off course. You'll arrive
late at the breeding grounds.
Pick up only three eggs when
you get there.
A coastal estuary
has become polluted by
toxins in runoff from urban
areas and farmland. It is no longer
a safe stopover site. Your young
may hatch with deformities. Lay
only two eggs on the
breeding grounds.
A farmer registered a wetland on
his property into a government
wetlands conservation program. A good
food supply there helped your young
reach the winter grounds. Add two
young shorebirds.
An oil spill destroyed a
bay needed by many
migrating shorebirds. All of
your young die.
A wetland stopover site has
been protected as a reserve. You
are able to feed without being
disturbed by people and can build up
fat needed to continue your journey.
Pick up (lay) an extra egg when
you reach the breeding
grounds.
A critical wetland stopover site was
degraded when a new highway was
built. Two of your young are not able to
get enough fuel to make the journey
back to the wintering grounds.
A critical wetland
“refueling” site has been
drained and plowed. You won't
have enough energy to
continue the journey.
Migrate back to start.
WINTERING
GROUNDS
N
S
You chose a well
camouflaged nest site
and your eggs are safe.
Add one egg.
A fox discovered your
nest and destroyed one
of your eggs.
Human access to the nesting
beach has been restricted. You are
able to double clutch (produce two
sets of chicks in a row). Pick up
four extra eggs.
Loose running dogs from a housing
development chased you off your nest.
You lose two eggs which overheated
while you were off the nest.
Unexpected high water
levels flooded your nest. Two
eggs are destroyed.
You defended
your eggs from a weasel
by pretending to have an
injured wing to distract the
predator. Pick up two
more eggs.
A person riding an ATV
through the nesting area
accidentally smashed your
nest with a tire. You lose all
your eggs. Migrate to
the end.
You managed to scare off a
cow that almost trampled your
nest. Pick up one more egg.
PICK UP (LAY EGGS) EGGS BECOME
YOUNG SHOREBIRDS
Activity Provided by Utah Project WILD 27
BREEDING
GROUNDS
28
EVEN SUPER HEROES NEED OUR HELP
START
FINISH
National
Wildlife
Refuge
National
Grassland
TRASH
N
Bird Watching
Bird Banding
Native Plants
Shorebird
Reserve
Wetlands
Restoration
WHSRN Site
Can you think of
something that the
countries of Argentina,
Suriname, Brazil, the
United States, and Canada
all have in common? They all
provide habitat for shorebirds!
Since shorebirds travel through
many different countries it is
very hard to protect them. People
throughout the Americas must work
together to preserve the wetlands needed
by shorebirds during migration.
As the sandpiper migrates north, show it all the
special things people are doing across the Americas
to help conserve shorebirds and their habitats.
Across
1. A prairie_____is a small wetland found in the
Great Plains.
4. Many shorebirds lay their eggs and raise their
young in the _____, where summers are very
short.
8. When it is fall in South America it is_____in
North America.
9. Wetlands help prevent_____by holding excess
water during heavy rains.
10. Shorebirds stick their beaks in the_____to
find insects and worms to eat.
11. People in Argentina speak this language.
12. Many shorebirds_____from South America
to North America each year to take
advantage of the North American summer to
lay their eggs and raise their young.
29
LEARNING ABOUT SHOREBIRDS
IS HELPING THEM!
Learning about and becoming aware of
shorebirds and their habitat are the first steps in
helping to conserve them. Test your knowledge
with these puzzles.
Down
2. _____are animal super heroes.
3. Shorebirds have long legs and_____, which
are perfect for getting around and feeding in
wetlands.
5. A baby bird is called a_____.
6. Shorebirds can nearly double their_____in just
a few weeks by eating many small insects and
worms.
7. Most shorebirds live near_____. These areas
provide them with the food and shelter that
they need.
8. The Western_____probes the mud near the
surface for food.
1
2 3
4 5
6
8
11
12
10
9
7
Answers: page 34
30
Directions
The seven sentences at the bottom of the page
are clues to the seven corresponding word banks
above. Fill in the blank spaces by figuring out the
clues. When you have filled in all the blanks, the
circled letters will spell the mystery word.
1. A place that has waterlogged soils and is often
covered with shallow water for at least part of
the year.
2. A bird bander who needed to capture
shorebirds might use one of these.
3. Where an animal lives because it can find food
and a place to rest or breed.
4. A type of shorebird habitat with cold winters,
short growing seasons, and no trees.
SHOREBIRD CIRCLE PUZZLE
5. How shorebirds get from their breeding
grounds to their wintering grounds.
6. The time of the year when shorebirds are in
the Arctic.
7. The route birds take during migrations: there
are 4 or 5 major ones leading to the Arctic.
1. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
2. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
3. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
4. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
5. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
6. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
7. ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
Mystery word: ___________________________________
Answers: page 35
31
JOIN THE FLOCK!
Cruise the Super Shorebird Highway at
http://sssp.fws.gov
... and step into the fascinating world of
shorebirds.
What’s on the Website?
■ You can see video clips of your favorite
shorebirds.
■ You can ask biologists questions, learn
about shorebirds from other people around
the world, and report your own shorebird
observations.
■ You can follow as scientists and volunteers
track shorebird migration.
■ You can submit your poems, essays, drawings,
and pictures to be featured on the Web.
■ You can sign up as a Shorebird Sister School.
32
ANSWERS
I G S E A S O N B A N D I N G
F N E U H Q N O I T U L L O P
A I V T H B W M N U R E S T B
D T R E B I O L O G I S T R O
T S E R R C W B C N T T A E U
C E S R W T T E U O K I T V R
O N E I F E E D L L D M I O M
J R R T W D C B A H U A B P J
F E T O C C F U R E H T A O A
E T A R G I M H S A Y E H T Y
H N F Y R P R E D A T O R S G
S I S D J L L B W I T E I Q T
O W H H K C T Y A J C T S K W
N S P T A Q L P T Y W O A S B
J C A X Y F M I S T N E T S M
S A N D Y B E A C H E S I P J
E V P E T T M I D O X D J U P
T O R G S A R M X L K R S G L
A C E A A T E I Q L I I K X O
R E D L R I F G S O L B D G V
B T A F D B U R X W L E N J E
E S T U N A E A W B D R U S R
T L O O U H L T E O E O O X S
R L R M T G M E E N E H M D T
E Y S A N D P I P E R S N U A
V L E C S D N A L S S A R G L
N F S T L I T S W E L R U C F
I C H J L A D A P T E D R G D
X K R O I V A H E B P Y F H U
F D X N B P C W K M W E N G M
Shorebirds Word Search page 5
Correct bird parts
Build a Shorebird, Build Maya page 6
What Can I Eat With This Beak? page 10
Shorebird Migration Word Search page 12
33
ANSWERS
L C Y C W E T L A N D S S C Q
A O B A I C M H T T G E R I Y
N N Q M N N Q C L R T D E T F
O S R O T A O A T A I E V C L
I E T U E B T E R R I T O R Y
T R V F R R B B P D S S P A W
A V T L Y U E Y O N N A O Z A
N A R A Z T O D L U D O T V Y
R T A G R S Y N L T F C S W S
E I S E D I V A U L T P A B P
T O V O O D S S T A T I B A H
N N O I T A R G I M M O Z U S
I F M J I Z S R O T A D E R P
Z U G N I T S E N W V O M B L
1 2 3
5 6
4
7
8
9
10
Shorebird Migration Crossword page 13
Super Appetites page 15
80 pounds x 2 = 160
80 + (0.25X) = 160
0.25X = 80
X = 80/0.25
X = 320 hamburgers
or
80 pounds x 2 = 160
160 – 80(present weight) = 80lbs to be
gained
1 hamburger =.25 pound
#hamburgers in 80lbs = 80/.25 = 320
Shorebird Habitat page 17
1
2 3
4
6
8
7
5
Shorebird Breeding Crossword page 18
34
ANSWERS
Wetland Stew Food Chain page 19
Sponge
Pillow
Egg beater
Cradle
Strainer
Can of soup
What is a home, a sponge, and a strainer all at the same time?
WETLAND
Flower
help prevent floods,
absorbs water, holds moisture
a resting place for migratory birds,
home for resident wildlife
mix and cycle nutrients
raise young, provide shelter
strain out debris and pollution
beautiful places food, nutrients
Wetland Metaphors page 20
Predators—fox, cat, gull, raccoon
Natural events—hurricane, drought, flood, disease
Human related— parking lot, oil spill, trash,
polluted water, buildings, filling in wetland,
overgrazing
Which category has the most threats listed under it?
human related
Which threats can we not control?
natural events, some predators–cats should be
indoors
Can you come up with a solution for one of the
human related threats? pick up trash, prevent oil
spills, clean polluted water, keep cats indoors
It’s a Tough Life For a Super Hero Shorebird
page 21
1
2 3
4 5
6
8
11
12
10
9
7
Learning About Shorebirds Is Helping Them!
page 29
Vegetation
Bacteria
Detritus
35
ANSWERS
Shorebird Circle Puzzle page 30
1. WETLAND
2. MIST NET
3. HABITAT
4. TUNDRA
5. MIGRATE
6. BREEDING SEASON
7. FLYWAY
Mystery Word: ESTUARY
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
National Conservation Training Center
Shorebird Sister Schools
698 Conservation Way
Shepherdstown, WV
25443
E-mail: sssp@fws.gov
http://sssp.fws.gov
March 2006
http://www.manomet.org/WHSRN
This Student Activity Guide was
produced by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service’s Shorebird Sister
Schools Program.
Information, activities, and review
provided by the Western Hemisphere
Shorebird Reserve Network and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s
National Wildlife Refuges and
Division of Migratory Birds.
Thanks to the students and
educators across the United States
who reviewed the guide and provided
valuable comments!
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
is working with others to conserve, protect, and
enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for
the continuing benefit of the American people.